With the NFL preseason already underway and the NFL regular season looming, fans have been treated to flashes of brilliance from rookie quarterbacks like Shedeur Sanders and Jaxson Dart, as well as some tough moments, like the suspended Lions-Falcons game. Veteran quarterbacks-typically those with three or more seasons under their belts-rarely see more than a quarter or a single drive in preseason action due to unnecessary injury risks.
With that said, The Athletic’s annual quarterback tiers survey, conducted with input from 50 NFL coaches and executives, has been released. The survey ranks 34 veteran passers across five tiers, from elite (Tier 1) to bottom tier (Tier 5). Unlike Madden ratings, which rely heavily on statistics, this ranking carries weight because it comes from insiders who study their own teams and opponents daily, making it a more authoritative gauge of talent.
Mahomes and Burrow Lead Unanimous Tier 1 Selections
The top tier featured five quarterbacks, with Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow receiving unanimous votes as the best of the best. Mahomes secured his fifth consecutive season as a unanimous Tier 1 pick, trailing only Aaron Rodgers, who has received six such nods since the QB Tiers began in 2014.
Despite a dip in 2024-posting career lows of 26 touchdowns, 6.8 yards per attempt, and 245.5 yards per game, down from his prior lows of 37 touchdowns and 4,000 yards-Mahomes remains a singular force. He is the only quarterback with a winning record when trailing entering the fourth quarter over the last five years, proving that no lead is safe against him.
Meanwhile, Burrow enjoyed his finest NFL campaign yet, topping the league in attempts, completions, yards, and touchdowns. He secured his fourth consecutive Tier 1 nod and his first unanimous selection. However, his Bengals’ defense is unlikely to improve much this year, much like the Peyton Manning-led Colts, where a high-octane offense was dragged down by a shaky defense.
Rounding out Tier 1 are recent MVPs Josh Allen (third) and Lamar Jackson (fourth). They form the NFL’s “big four” alongside Mahomes and Burrow; most experts rank them at the top in varying order. Matthew Stafford earned the fifth spot, making his Tier 1 debut at 37 after 11 years in Tier 2. As the second-oldest starter behind Aaron Rodgers, Stafford’s potent Rams offense could dominate the NFC West and challenge the Eagles in the conference.
Rookie Star Daniels Shines in Tier 2 Debut
Tier 2 brought surprises, led by reigning Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels, who landed at No. 6 in his first appearance. Daniels delivered a historic rookie season, becoming the only starting quarterback in the Super Bowl era to reach a conference championship game without a top-tier defense (Washington ranked 24th in defensive EPA).
The second tier includes nine quarterbacks, nearly identical to last year’s group, with Daniels and Baker Mayfield as the exceptions. Mayfield, who climbed eight spots from last year, has thrived in Tampa Bay’s system. The Tier 2 order by votes is: Jayden Daniels (6), Justin Herbert, Jared Goff, CJ Stroud, Jalen Hurts, Baker Mayfield, Dak Prescott, Jordan Love, and Brock Purdy (14).
Mid-Tier Shifts Highlight Rodgers’ Fall and Rising Stars
Tiers 3 and 4 house the mid-level quarterbacks, with notable movement. Aaron Rodgers, now with Pittsburgh, plummeted nine spots to No. 16, marking the second-largest drop. Bo Nix, at No. 20, debuted after a stellar rookie year guiding the Broncos to the playoffs, while Sam Darnold surged nine spots, the biggest riser.
Tier 3, with 11 quarterbacks, includes Kyler Murray (15), Aaron Rodgers, Tua Tagovailoa, Trevor Lawrence, Geno Smith, Bo Nix, Sam Darnold, Drake Maye, Caleb Williams, Bryce Young, and Kirk Cousins, who saw the steepest fall (-12 spots).
The remaining rankings spotlight struggling quarterback rooms, with the Colts, Saints, and Browns-featuring Russell Wilson (26), Justin Fields, Michael Penix Jr., J.J. McCarthy, Daniel Jones, Joe Flacco, Anthony Richardson, Spencer Rattler, and Kenny Pickett, the lone Tier 5 occupant-deemed the league’s weakest.
Read the full article here
